Longford-Westmeath Sinn Féin TD Sorca Clarke has offered her support to the Community Wealth Building proposals put forward by her party. 

Teachta Clarke said:

“Our current system has failed us. It has failed workers, it has failed the environment and it has failed our rural communities. The problem with relying on free market solutions and big business, is that their entire operation is based on reducing costs and maximising profits. 

“This motive has no regard for prioritising jobs, services and infrastructure for rural areas. It has no regard for workers’ rights. The environment is seen as a resource to be exploited. 

“There are, however, other models. The model of Community Wealth Building as elaborated by my colleague Brian Stanley TD could help to wean Ireland off its over reliance on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). 

“It is only with such a forward thinking and progressive approach that we can ensure that jobs and wealth stay within our local communities. Such a model would ensure that local businesses, cooperatives and social enterprises are prioritised in every level of the supply chain so that the community is organising their own economic output. 

“Workers would be given a new deal with greater social rights and protections and trade unions would be involved in the process. Wherever possible local people would be provided with the jobs first.

“Such a system would also allow for greater care for our local environments by allowing the people who live in the area and depend on the environment to manage how it is used, allowing for considerations on sustainability to take over from a purely profit driven motive.

“In order to tackle all of the social and environmental challenges we face we need ambitious solutions and new models of wealth creation.”